Art of and machine for making chains



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1..

E. OURY.

ART OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS). No. 808.824.

Patented Nov. 18, 1884.

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(No Model.)

- 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. OURY.

ART OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.

Patented Nov. 18, 1884.v

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES:

E Mu (JAM RA ag a. PEIERS. Phowlilhognpher. Washington. D. 0.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet- 3.

E. OURY.

ART OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS. No. 308,324. Patented Nov. 18, 1884.

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(No Model.) azaleas-sheet 4.-

E. OURY.

ART OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.

No. 308,324. Patented Nov. 18. 1884.

WITNESSES: I ORI Wu) 0% W06 By his J/H'OI'ILBZ/S,

N. PETERS. Phalolnhqgmpher. Wnlhingtnm In;

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet- 5.

E. OURY.

ART OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.- No. 308,324. Patented Nov. 18, 1884.

I N V E N TO R %,W= W By his mEE LT WITNESSES:

' Unite STATES PATENT Fierce.

EUGENE OURY, OF GHERBOURG, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO MARIE LOUISE ALBERTINE DE BRIEY.

ART OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308.324, dated November 18, 1884-.

Application filed September 26, 1883. (Nomodchl To all whom it 11mg concern:

Be it known that l, EUGENE OURY, a citizen of the French Republic, and a resident of Cherbourg, France, have invented certain Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Manufacturing WVeldless Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for manufacturing chains from solid bars of metal without welding.

My Patent No. 273,139, dated February 27, 1883,describes the manufacture of a chain from a bar rolled with four longitudinal ribs having the form of a cross in transverse section by first punching out alternate notches from the ribs; second, punching intersecting diagonal holes through the center of the bar to form the inside ends of each link; third, punching out slots in each side of each link; fourth, punching out the metal between the ends of alternate links, and, fifth, shaping the links thus roughly separated in a die to give them their definite shape and a finished appearance. My present invention aims to accomplish all the necessary operations in one machine and at one heating of the bar, whereby a number of advantages are secured.

My machine consists, generally, of a tubular frame bearing a number of tools which act successively to such effect that as the bar of iron or steel is fed through the machine it becomes converted by successive steps into I, a chain, which is delivered from the machine in a finished state.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved chain-making machine. Fig. 2 is a diagonal section taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 10. Fig. 3 is a plan of-a chain,showing the various stages of operation from a solid bar to a complete chain. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the manner of carrying through the first link in order to commence a chain. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal mid-section of the machine. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the receiving end of the machine. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the delivering end of the machine, showing the gearing; and Fig. 16 is an enlarged transverse section through the finishing-dies.

The remaining figures are detail views,which will be explained hereinafter in describing the invention.

Let A designate the main frame or trunk of the machine, which is, in fact, a large horizontal tube, with cylindrical bore and approximately square exterior. This is supported 011 three standards, XXX, Fig. 1, the latter two of which spring from a base-plate, y, that bears the engine (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10) which supplies power for driving the machine. The shaft of this engine drives a gear on shaft 0, Figs. 1 and 10, and a pinion, E, on the opposite end of this shaft meshes with and drives a ring, D,which is toothed both externally and internally. Four longitudinal shafts, B B B B,are arranged equidistantly around theframe A, and supported on bearings projecting therefrom.

On the right-haud end of each shaft B is fixed a pinion, F, and the four pinions F mesh with the internal teeth on the ring D, so that all four of the shafts are revolved uniformly and in the same direction. On these shaft-s B B are fixed cams Q Q, which impart motion to the-several tools.

Before describing these tools I will state the succession of operations through which the bar passes in being transformed into a finished chain, referring for the purpose to Fig. 3, where the operations are numbered in their succession.

Operation No. 1 consists in punching two opposite notches in ribs on opposite sides of the bar, and No. l consists in punching like notches in the other two ribs half-way between two successive notches punched by the first operation.

Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 consist in punching intersecting holes to separate the ends of the links, as shown in Fig. 5, holes punched by Nos. 2 and 4 being in one direction diagonally through the center of the bar, and holes punched by Nos. 3 and 5 being in the'other direction at right angles thereto. The intersecting holes to form one end of the link are Nos. 2 and 5, and those to form the other end are Nos. 8 and 4.

Operations Nos. 6 and 6 consist in punching out the centers of the respective links, one at right angles to the other. At this stage the links will often not be wholly severed. So operations Nos. 7 and 7 are performed to knock them apart, and atthe same time to give them their first rounding.

Operations Nos. 8 and S consist in squeezing the respective links to a circular form in dies. These dies form them into a true circle and also render them circular in cross-section. They cannot, however, reach those portions ofthe links that are interlocking with the adjoining links, and hence it is necessary to turn each link one-quarter round, which constiutes operations 9 and 9.

Operations Nos. 10 and 10 consist in again squeezing the links in circular dies.

Operations 11 and 11 consist in automatically bringing the cross-stays into the plane of the links; and,tinally, operations 12 and 12 are performed, whereby the circular links are pressed into elliptical form and swaged against the cross-stays. These operations are all performed while the metal ishot from being heated to redness in a furnace situated at the lefthand end of the machine. (Not shown in the drawings.) The bar is drawn from this furnace and fed into the machineby an apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 9. The bar enters diagonally, as shown in section in Fig. 9, resting on a wheel, J, beneath, and having a serrated or roughened wheel, J, pressed down upon it from above. The wheel J is fixed on ashaft, J which has bearings at its opposite ends in two elbow-levers, J, the lower arms of which are pressed to the right by long lcal sprin gs M M, having their tension adjusted by screws N N. so that the down ward pressure of the wheel J upon the hot bar may be regulated. Thelower shalt, B, "In Fig. 1 bears a bevel-wheel, O, which imparts motion to a bevel-wheel. l on a short shaft, 011 the outer end of which is fixed a crankdisk, G. A pitman-rod, H, connects this crank to one arm of a vibrating lever, I, fulcrumed freely on the shaft J and bearing on its up per arm a pawl, L, which engages a ratchetwheel, K, fixed on the shaft J The rotation of the crank-disk G causes theleverlto be vibrated, and the ratchet rotates the shalt J 2 and feed-wheel J intermittently in one direction, thus causing the bar to be advanced into the machine once to each revolution of the camshaft B to a greaterorless distance, accordii'ig to the position in which the ends of the rod 11 are set in the slots G- and I.

I will now describe more in detail the series of operations performed on the bar afteritenters the machine, and the tools-which are employed, referring for that purpose to Figs. 2 and 3 and also to Figs. 17 to 24. inclusive. Each ofthese latter figures (except 22 and 23) shows one pair of tools in four views, a longitudinal midseetion, a side elevation, an end view of the operating end of the upper tool, and an end view of the operating end of the lower tool. As the bar is fed into the ma chine the first two operations, Nos. 1 and 1", are performed by punches a and cf, Fig. 2, one of which is shown removed from the machine in Fig. 17. These punches work at an angle of forty-five degrees, corresponding to the inelination of the bar, and are at right angles to each other. The face of the punch is of the shape shown at m in Fig. 17, and-the die or female is of the shape shown at y. The construction of the body of the punch is shown best in the longitudinal section. A-cam, Q, on the shaft B, Fig. 2, forces the punch in and effects the punching, and a spring presses it back. The two punches a and a are set the requisite distance apart, so that the notches they cut shall alternate, those out by each being midway between those out by the other.

Operations Nos. 2, 3, 4, and5 are performed by four punches, b b, which are alike. and one of which is shown removed in Fig. 18. Two of these work in horizontal and two in vertical direction, and they are so spaced that the holes cut by the vertical punches intersect those cut by the horizontal ones, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the machine cut through the axis of one of the horizontal punches, and Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the lelt-hand end of the machine, showing the vertical punches in elevation. Each punch is forced up by a lever actuated by one of the cams Q, and is retracted by a splin Operations Nos. 6 and 6 are performed by two inclined punches,c 0", working diagonally at right angles to each other. In Fig. 2 the punch a is shown in end view and the punch 0* in longitudinal section. Fig. 19 shows one of these punches removed from the machine. The male and female dies are shown at w and y. respective] y. These punches strike out the centers of the respective links, leaving the latter usually detached from the bar or blank. The links may, however, adheret-ogetherand require to be knocked apart. This is accomplished by the operations Nos. 7 and 7 whereby the separated links are given the first rounding. These operations are performed by two pairs of dies, 0! (1, (shown in Fig. 2,) and one of which is shown removed in Fig. 20. The two dies of each pair approach each other from opposite directions and embrace the newlyanade link between them, giving it an approximately round form and preparing it for the ensuing operation. -As the two dies of each pair are made of unequal depth,thelinkis pressed somewhat out of the plane of the adjacent links, and so is knocked apart from them in case they adhere.

Operations Nos. 8 and S are performed by dies (3 c, Fig. 2, one of which is shown in end view and the other in longitudinal section. One of them is shown removed in Fig. 21. Each pair of dies embraces the link flatwise, forcing it to enter and conform to the round groove cut one-half in each die. The portion of the link on each side where it interlocks with the two adjoining links of course cannot be reached by these dies, and to bring these two opposite portions into reach it is necessary to partially revolve the link before the next stamping operation is performed. This is done by the device shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and also in Fig. 22, which consists of two opposite groovedwheels, w 10, which nip the link between them,and are then partially rotated by gearing, both in the same direction, until the link has been turned about onequarter round. Another like device is provided. to turn the links which stand at right angles to those turned by the device shown.

Operations Nos. 10 and 10 are merely a repetition of Nos. 8 and S in order to act upon the two opposite portions of the links not reached by these operations. They are performed by dies ff, which are duplicates of those shown in Fig. 21. The links are now circular rings, as shown in Fig. 3, circular in cross-section, and smooth and uniform. The chain is essentially finished; but as oval or elongated links are preferable to circular ones, and as for many purposes cross-stays or transoms are desirable, two more operations are performed on each link to impart to the chain these characteristics.

Operations Nos. 11 and 11, which consist in feeding the cross-stays to the respective links, are performed by two devices, one of which is shown in Fig. 14. The stays are inserted in a tube or conduit, 2, through which they descend to the inserting-piston h, which is shown removed in Fig. 28. The spring 1", Fig. 14., lifted at each revolution by a cam on the shaft B, permits the passage of but one stay at a time. As the stay falls it is arrested in the correct position by a spring, q, on the piston h, and lies in a groove in the end thereof, as best shown in Fig. 2. The piston then ascends, carrying the stay until the latter is in the axis of the link, the spring q striking the link and advancing no farther.

Operations Nos. 12 and 12 are then performed, which consist in compressing the circular link laterally by diesjj,which approach each other from diametrically opposite sides of the link, and press the latter into the usual oval form against the ends of the stay. The piston h and diesj j then recede, leaving the link completed with the ends of the crossstay welded to it. If found necessary to uphold the unfinished chain between the several tools, in order to present its links properly to the action of the tools, a support may be provided for it within the tube A, as shown at m in Fig. 15.

The completed chain as it emerges from the right-hand end of the machine in Fig. lis propelled by a drawing apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 10. On the hub of the ring D is fixed an externally-toothed ring or gear, on, which drives a pinion, m, on a short shaft. This shaft is geared through bevel gears to a short transverse shaft bearing a slotted crank-disk, m on its end. A pitman, 12, connects this to a slotted lever, a", which bears a pawl which works in ratchets on a sprocket-wheel, a, giving an intermittent forward movement to the latter, the extent of which movementis adjustable by altering the position of the ends of the pitman a in the slots. As the completed chain is longer than the bar from which it is made, it is necessary that the chain shall feed farther at each advance than the bar. As the chain emerges from the machineit may be coiled upon a drum or dropped into the receptacle known as a chain-shaft, or otherwise disposed of. i

It will be understood that all the tools operate simultaneously during one portion of the revolution of the shafts B B, and that the work is then advanced by the simultaneous operation of the two feeding mechanisms duringthe remainder of the revolution, so that twolinks are completed at each revolution of the shafts B B. The several tools are all alike in general construction, as best shown in the section, Fig. 16, each being a'piston or plunger sliding in a case, B, being advanced by one of the cams Q and retracted by an inclosd spring, which is re-enforced against acrossbar forming part of the case B.

In order to make different sizes of chain on the same machine the tools are made adjustable toward or from each other by being set in longitudinal slots in the frame A. The case B of each tool may be set to any required position in its slot and there fastened by setscrews, (as shown in Fig. 14,) or otherwise. The first pair of (lies e are alone fixed in position. \Vhen it is desired to make a smaller chain, all the tools to the right and left of this are moved toward it, and the wheel nis removed from its bearings and exchanged for a similar wheel having smaller recesses corresponding to the links of the new chain. The fastening in of the tools by set-screws as shown in Fig. 14 greatly facilitates their removal.

In starting a chain through the machine it is necessary to catch the first link as soonvas it is detached. and draw italong until it emerges from the machine, after which the chain-feed may be effected by the wheel a. This opera tion is shown in Figs. 4 and 7. A hook is en gaged with the first link, and a weight, acting through a rope or small chain, draws the hook out of the machine as fast as the operation of the latter in completing the chain will permit. In case it may be found desirable one or more additional punching-tools or shapingdies may be made a part of the machine in order to insure more precise and rapidwork. The frame A of the machine is made hollow, as shown in F'gs. 2, 12, and-16. in order to form a water-jacket for keeping the working parts of the machine cool. A stream of water will thus be caused to flow through the frame from one end of the machine to the other, and the water that thus becomes heated may be used to feed the. steam-boilers of the shop.

My machine has the advantages over the method heretofore practiced of working up the chain by a series of separate operations with successive rcheatings that the work is done more rapidly and economically, the bars require less handling, the entire work is done with one heating, thereby saving the expense of successive reheatings, and better preserving the nature of the steel, and a more uniform and better finished chain is produced, since the tools work at fixed distances, and with the utmost precision, so that the links are necessarily uniform in size and shape.

The details of my machine may be varied in many ways without departing from the essentials of my invention. For instance, instead of using two sets of tools, one for acting upon the horizontal and the other upon the verti cal links, but one set may be used, and some mechanical means may be provided for turning either the tools or the bar and chain onequarter of a revolution at each feeding.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, to form a machine for making chains, ofa notching-punch fornotching the ribs of the bar, two punches arranged to punch diagonally-intersecting holes through the bar, a center punch for punching out the centers for the links, shaping-dies for finishing the rough links, and suitable gearing for imparting motion to said parts. all combined and arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine form iking chains from a bar without welding. the combination of a notching-punch for cutting opposite notches in the ribs of the bar, two punches arranged and adapted to punch intersecting holes diagonally through the center of the bar, a center punch for cutting out the centers of the links, suitable gearing adapted to impart motion to said punches, and a feeding apparatus for intermittently advancing the bar during the period of inaction of said punches, substantially as set forth.

111 a machine for making weldless chain, the combination of a series of punches and dies for cutting out and shaping the links with suitable gearing driving the same and causing them to act simultaneously, and with feeding mechanism driven from said gearing and arranged to advance the work during the period of rest of the tools, whereby the work is alternately acted upon by all the tools together and fed forward for the next operation, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for making weldless chain, the combination, with shaping and finishing tools consisting of two pairs of dies, the dies of each pair being adapted to advance toward each other and press the links between them, of mechanism, substantially as set forth, arranged between said pairs of dies and adapted to partially rotate each link'at'ter it has been acted on by one pair of dies and before it reaches the succeeding pair, thereby exposing to the action of the latter the portions of the link not accessible to the dies first acting, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for making weldless chain, the combination, to form shaping and finishing mechanism, of shaping-dies for pressing the links into circular form, a turning mechanism for partially rotating each link to present it properly to the dies, squeezing-dies act ing on the links at right angles to the shaping-dies for squeezing the circular links into elongated or approximately elliptical form, and suitable gearing for imparting the proper co-operative movement to said parts, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for making chain from a bar of metal, the combination of a series of tools for severing the links from said bar and shaping them, a feeding mechanism arranged at the entering end of the machine and adapted to grip and advance said bar, a feeding mechanism arranged at the delivery end of the machine and adapted to engage and pull forward the completed chain, and suitable gearing adapted to operate said tools simultaneously and intermittently and to operate said feeding mechanisms during theintervals of rest of said tools after each operation thereof, all constructed substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of frame A, toothed ring D, gears F F, shafts B B, cams Q Q, a series of punches and dies operated thereby, suitable feeding mechanism for the bar undergoing operation, and suitable gearingfordriving said feeding mechanism from one of said shafts, substantially as set forth.

8. In a chain-making machine, the combination, with a series of punches and dies for cutting a chain of round links from a bar of metal, and with gearing for actuating them substantially as described, of a stay-inserting mechanism consisting of devices for feeding one stay at a time, a carrier to receive said stay, and means for causing said carrier to advance until the stay is within the link, and laterallycompressing dies arranged on opposite sides of the link and in line with the axis of the inserted stay, and adapted to advance and compress the link into elliptical form against the ends of the stay, and suitable gearing for cooperatively actuating said parts, substantially as set forth.

9. The improvement in the art of chainmaking, which consists in working out the interlocked links from a solid bar of metal while the latter is hot and at one heating by a progressive series of punching and swaging operations performed in rapid succession, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE OURY.

Vitnesses:

, EDW'ARD 1?. MAoLEAN,

AMAND BITTER. 

